Asbury University’s Equine Center welcomes police units from across the United States March 5–7 for a three-day clinic designed to connect officers with the service mounts they are preparing to purchase from the university’s equine program.
The weekend-long clinic gives officers the opportunity to ride, evaluate and work with horses trained by Asbury’s senior service mount students before the animals officially transition into police departments.
This year, approximately 17 senior service mounts are graduating, with roughly half already claimed by departments.
“Last year was our first time doing it, but we’re hoping to make it an annual thing,” said Elisa Molnar, a senior equine student. “We have officers who are pending purchases with our senior class horses right now. They’ll come and be able to ride those horses and get a feel for them.”
Molnar said officers attending the clinic have already placed deposits on specific horses and are permitted to return in the weeks following graduation to take their mounts to their departments.
Throughout the clinic, student co-leaders Molnar and Regan Caher lead demonstrations and supervise officer training sessions. Officers observe advanced under-saddle classes before working directly with the horses themselves.
The clinic starts with groundwork instruction focused on communication, cues and handling techniques before progressing to mounted exercises. As the weekend continues, officers are guided through obstacle courses designed to simulate real-world policing environments, allowing them to build trust with the horses and gain confidence using Asbury’s training methods. Molnar explained that the training ensures both horse and officer are prepared for a future partnership, which helps protect the equine students’ horses when they leave.
“When they come for the clinic, they get experience doing groundwork exercises, a staple in our program, as well as under saddle work,” said Adrianna Kooistra, a May 2025 Asbury graduate and current full-time equine staff assistant.
Mounted police units use the benefits of riding a horse for specialized purposes that vehicles cannot fulfill. Molnar emphasized that using a horse gives you access to different environments that you might not be able to reach in a vehicle, such as patrolling parks, smaller city streets and working crowd control during protests or riots.
“Just like any effective partnership, the officer and horse need to trust and respect each other, and what they will learn in this clinic will help them find that balance,” Kooistra said.
The clinic’s national reach stems from relationships built years ago by former equine director Harold Rainwater.
“He was the equine director for a very long time, would reach out to units across the U.S. and tell them about our service mounts program,” Molnar said. “He built a lot of relationships and connected with them. We’ve been able to maintain those relationships over the years, so those officers keep coming back and purchasing from us.”
The service mounts track is one of two pathways within Asbury’s equine studies training concentration. While the western track focuses on sport disciplines, service mounts emphasize desensitization and obstacle preparation for real-life law enforcement situations.
Molnar, who has gone down both tracks, said Asbury’s equine program offers a unique hands-on experience for students of varying backgrounds.
“I think [the equine program] is a great opportunity,” said Molnar. “Some people come in with zero experience, some people come in with a little… Everybody’s learning together, and you’re learning as your horse is learning. It’s really cool to be able to grow with a specific horse over the duration of your time here.”
This police mount clinic serves as both a professional evaluation and a milestone moment for seniors preparing to send their trained mounts into active service.
